System and method for adaptive content rendition

• US 8,779,266 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Basso, Andrea, Gibbon, David C., Liu, Zhu, Renger, Bernard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): FLETCHER, MARLON T
• Application Number:
  US12/869,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20100315549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/602
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for adaptive content rendition, the method comprising receiving media content for playback to a user, adapting the media content for playback on a first device in the user'"'"'s first location, receiving a notification when the user changes to a second location, adapting the media content for playback on a second device in the second location, and transitioning media content playback from the first device to second device. One aspect conserves energy by optionally turning off the first device after transitioning to the second device. Another aspect includes playback devices that are “dumb devices” which receive media content already prepared for playback, “smart devices” which receive media content in a less than ready form and prepare the media content for playback, or hybrid smart and dumb devices. A single device may be substituted by a plurality of devices. Adapting the media content for playback is based on a user profile storing user preferences and/or usage history in one aspect.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a media server, a notification that a user, consuming media content via a first device at a first location, has moved to a second location;

determining, via a processor and based on an analysis of a user profile and the media content, a likelihood the user wants to continue consuming the media content at the second location; and

when the likelihood is above a threshold;

adapting a format of the media content for playback via a second device at the second location based on display characteristics of the second device, to yield adapted media content; and

transferring presentation of the media content from the first device to the second device such that the adapted media content is displayed on the second device and not on the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device are one of a dumb device that receives media content prepared for playback, a smart device that receives media content in a less than ready form and prepares the media content for playback, and a hybrid smart/dumb device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a plurality of devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing user movement based on a combination of media content analysis and individual user analysis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the format of the media content comprises one of adding and removing a media element of the media content based on the display characteristics of the second device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device blend media content from more than one user in a same vicinity.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising turning off the first device after transitioning to the second device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein transitioning the media content comprises simultaneous playback of media elements on the first device and the second device for a limited time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the format of the media content is based on the user profile comprising one of user preferences, user demographic information, media keys, subscription information, credentials, and usage history.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

updating patterns of location changes based on usage history and current location data received from a sensor network;

anticipating when the user is likely to change to an expected location; and

adapting and transitioning the media content for playback on a third device at the expected location in advance of the user moving to the expected location.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the user profile is stored in one of a central location and a playback device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is a manually initiated signal from the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a user tracking device senses when the user changes location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user tracking device senses when the user changes location based on one of usage logs, physical proximity to the second device, and biometric identification.

15. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a notification that a user, consuming media content via a first playback device at a first location, has moved to a second location;

determining, based on an analysis of a user profile and the media content, a likelihood the user wants to continue consuming the media content at the second location; and

when the likelihood is above a threshold;

adapting a format of the media content according to display characteristics of a second playback device at the second location, to yield adapted media content; and

transferring presentation of the media content from the first device to the second device such that the adapted media content is displayed on the second device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the notification is received from a sensor configured to sense user movement based on media content analysis and individual user analysis.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein transitioning the media content comprises simultaneously playing the media content on the first playback device and second playback device for a limited time.

18. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a notification that a user, consuming media content via a first device at a first location, has moved to a second location;

determining, based on an analysis of a user profile and the media content, a likelihood the user wants to continue consuming the media content at the second location; and

when the likelihood is above a threshold;

adapting a format of the media content for playback via a second device at the second location based on display characteristics of the second device, to yield adapted media content; and

transferring presentation of the media content from the first device to the second device such that the adapted media content is displayed on the second device.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein a location of the user is based on one of usage logs, and biometric identification information received from a tracking device.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the notification further causes a media server to turn off the first device after transitioning to the second device.